Blogs and Commentary

A Complex Rivalry is Birthed Tonight in Florida

Some rivalries evolve via the natural relationship of the
schools involved. Others are born out of something a little more
complex. Both will be true when Florida Southern and Tampa meet
this evening in the season- and conference-opener for both
teams.

FSC and UT are traditional archrivals. While it doesn't sponsor
lacrosse yet – both teams are currently in the Deep South
Conference – the Sunshine State Conference is the
institutional home of both athletic departments, and there has been
plenty of history built up between the two schools. Just like with
Auburn-Alabama or Harvard-Yale, when Florida Southern and Tampa
compete in anything, it means something more.

"I think the whole athletic department understands – and
certainly in the eyes of my AD and school president – that
the Tampa-Florida Southern lacrosse game is just as big as the
Tampa-Florida Southern basketball or baseball game," said Marty
Ward, FSC's second-year head coach.

There's a little something extra on the lacrosse side,
however.

Ward is the head coach of the Mocs because he was brought to
Lakeland as an assistant coach by Rory Whipple, who started
the FSC program in 2009 and went 8-15 during his two seasons. Prior
to the 2011 season, Whipple left to start another program. That
program? Tampa, of course.

Now Whipple starts his new gig by taking on his previous
employer. Not surprisingly, it's something that the Mocs are well
aware of, including the four seniors – Andrew Almansberger,
Jon Freda, Adam Ismaeil and Mat Thompson – who were on that
first FSC squad Whipple cobbled together.

"It'll always be in the back of our mind," Ward said of
Whipple's presence on the other sideline. "I've told these guys to
understand that emotions are going to be high during this game, and
they have to keep their head and keep cool. They have to understand
that Coach Whipple saw greener pastures elsewhere and they are
still here with me. It's fine that he recruited some guys and did
what he had to do and moved on to a different school, which is
awesome, but it's always going to be an underlying story in this
game. All the hype culminates tonight at 7 p.m."

Even though Florida Southern is bringing a relatively
experienced team to tonight's game against a first-year program,
it's going to present a stiff challenge for Ward and the Mocs.
Whipple has been shaping a Spartans' roster comprised of 23
transfers and 19 freshmen, so this isn't necessarily the typical
start-up. And, although Ward knows Whipple's philosophies after
working as his assistant, there's still danger in the
unknown.

"The first game is always tough," admitted Ward. "You can ask
around and try to figure out some of the stuff they are doing. It's
just so difficult to play a team first and have a scout on them.
The boys are prepared and understand what is going on tonight.
We're just going to get out there and play hard, doing things the
way we do things."

Ward feels good about his team's chances tonight, but he's just
as excited about this game from a rivalry, state and divisional
perspective.

"Coach Whipple and myself have the same mentality where we both
want to be champions," Ward said. "It's going to be a battle, and
that's the only way we'd want it to be. That's the best way for the
sport of lacrosse in Florida, and Division II lacrosse as a whole.
We need to have more of these rivalries and storylines going on in
D-II to compete with the D-I and D-III storylines that they have
each week. I think it's important, and I think D-II lacrosse will
definitely benefit from Florida Southern and Tampa having this kind
of game."